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Software Engineering Made Easy: A Comprehensive Reference Guide for Writing Good Code
by Marco GählerLearn how to write good code for humans. This user-friendly book is a comprehensive guide to writing clear and bug-free code. It integrates established programming principles and outlines expert-driven rules to prevent you from over-complicating your code. You&’ll take a practical approach to programming, applicable to any programming language and explore useful advice and concrete examples in a concise and compact form. Sections on Single Responsibility Principle, naming, levels of abstraction, testing, logic (if/else), interfaces, and more, reinforce how to effectively write low-complexity code. While many of the principles addressed in this book are well-established, it offers you a single resource. Software Engineering Made Easy modernizes classic software programming principles with quick tips relevant to real-world applications. Most importantly, it is written with a keen awareness of how humans think. The end-result is human-readable code that improves maintenance, collaboration, and debugging—critical for software engineers working together to make purposeful impacts in the world. What You Will Learn Understand the essence of software engineering. Simplify your code using expert techniques across multiple languages. See how to structure classes. Manage the complexity of your code by using level abstractions. Review test functions and explore various types of testing. Who This Book Is For Intermediate programmers who have a basic understanding of coding but are relatively new to the workforce. Applicable to any programming language, but proficiency in C++ or Python is preferred. Advanced programmers may also benefit from learning how to deprogram bad habits and de-complicate their code.
Biotechnology and IoT in Agriculture and Food Production: Green Innovation
by Dr. Alok Srivastav Dr. Priyanka DasExplore the transformative intersection of biotechnology and the Internet of Things (IoT) in modern agriculture. This book delves into sustainable solutions and cutting-edge technologies that are revolutionizing the global food production industry. The book is structured to provide an in-depth understanding of how green innovation is reshaping agriculture. Starting with an introduction to sustainability in agriculture, it traces the evolution from traditional farming to smart farming methods, where IoT and Biotechnology come together to optimize crop management, soil health, and resource utilization. Key chapters include the role of IoT in precision farming, biotechnology advancements like CRISPR and GMOs, and their integration for improved crop resilience, pest control, and water management. The synergy between IoT's real-time data capabilities and biotechnology's genetic innovations is highlighted in smart greenhouses, vertical farming, and climate-resilient agriculture. Other critical topics include reducing food waste through technology, the role of AI and machine learning in agricultural practices, blockchain for supply chain transparency, and Biotech's impact on livestock management. Ethical considerations, regulatory frameworks, and green finance opportunities are also addressed, alongside future trends like 5G, drones, and synthetic biology. You will gain a comprehensive view of how biotechnology and IoT are driving sustainable agricultural practices, fostering innovation, and offering solutions to global food security challenges. The book offers practical insights into the future of farming and policy recommendations to ensure a sustainable, tech-driven agricultural future. You Will • Learn how data analytics, AI, and biotech innovations work together in precision farming, optimizing resource usage, improving yields, and addressing environmental challenges • Discover innovative solutions for sustainable food production, including smart irrigation systems, IoT-enabled greenhouses, vertical farming, and biotechnological methods for improving soil health and reducing food waste • Understand the ethical concerns, privacy issues, and regulatory frameworks that govern the use of IoT and biotechnology in agriculture Who Is This Book For Readers with a foundational understanding of agriculture, technology, or sustainability, though no specialized expertise is required. Beginners with an interest in how technology is reshaping food production can grasp the concepts, as the book breaks down complex topics into accessible language. A basic familiarity with IoT and biotech will enhance the learning experience but is not essential for following the book&’s key ideas.
Anthropology’s Philosophy: How Anthropology Makes Concepts its Own (Palgrave Studies in Literary Anthropology)
by Nigel RapportThis book focuses on anthropology's ambition for comprehensiveness and its interdisciplinary nature. It consists of concise essays, each around 2,500 words, in which contributors examine how concepts traditionally linked to philosophy or other disciplines are interpreted and applied within anthropology. Each contributor selects a personally inspiring concept and illustrates its relevance to anthropology, showcasing how it takes on new meaning within an anthropological framework. These essays vary in style and content, allowing contributors to discuss the history of the concept’s usage, provide an ethnographic illustration of the concept, or offer an analytical, comparative or theoretical exposition of the concept as deployed anthropologically. A common theme across all entries is the exploration of anthropological disciplinarity — or 'anti-disciplinarity' — highlighting its intellectual flexibility and genre-blurring practices, in an effort to approach that expansiveness necessary to do justice to the complexity of human existence.
Academic Integrity in Vocational and Polytechnic Education (Ethics and Integrity in Educational Contexts #8)
by Brenda M. Stoesz Lisa VogtAcademic Integrity in Vocational and Polytechnic Education addresses educative approaches to support academic integrity in hands-on and applied learning environments with a focus on practitioner experiences. Building on systems theory, the book documents multi-stakeholder perspectives of institutional leaders, department specialists, and individual champions of academic integrity. Readers will be introduced to the 4M framework, which views academic integrity as a responsibility at all levels of the institution and connects to the broader community and professional industries. Each chapter is set in an applied context and lends to the philosophy of a shared responsibility in growing the institutional culture of academic integrity. This book offers insights from the perspectives of leaders, faculty, and support staff, as authors describe challenges and solutions to upholding academic integrity in short term programming geared toward employment readiness. Although the work is about vocational and polytechnic education written by members of this community, it has a wider appeal across higher education due to shifting pedagogical methods that are becoming more applied and personalized. In an age of information ubiquity, where traditional learning activities such as rote memorization and essay writing do not sufficiently assess learning or prepare the learner for the workplace, educators will find unique insights from the vocational and polytechnic sector to supporting academic integrity in a changing academic landscape.
Children of Ruin (Children of Time #2)
by Adrian TchaikovskyThe astonishing sequel to Children of Time, the award-winning novel of humanity's battle for survival on a terraformed planet.Thousands of years ago, Earth's terraforming program took to the stars. On the world they called Nod, scientists discovered alien life -- but it was their mission to overwrite it with the memory of Earth. Then humanity's great empire fell, and the program's decisions were lost to time.Aeons later, humanity and its new spider allies detected fragmentary radio signals between the stars. They dispatched an exploration vessel, hoping to find cousins from old Earth.But those ancient terraformers woke something on Nod better left undisturbed.
Why I Believe: A Psychologist's Thoughts on Suffering, Miracles, Science, and Faith
by Dr. Henry CloudA leadership expert, clinical psychologist, and New York Times bestselling author asks the big questions and shares his early mental health struggles in this groundbreaking, uplifting book. World-renowned psychologist and leadership expert Henry Cloud has impacted millions of lives through his groundbreaking books and through his work coaching leaders of the most influential organizations in the world. But few people know the details of his own story and how he became one of the most beloved and respected psychologists and faith influencers in America. In this indelibly personal and vulnerable book, Dr. Cloud leads us through his early struggles with illness and depression and the miracles that healed him and led him to his calling as a healer of others. Through masterful storytelling combined with a deeply nuanced understanding of the human mind, Dr. Cloud invites readers to inhabit the spaces of suffering and elation that make us most human and to walk alongside of him as he ponders the great questions we are so often afraid to ask but which also give life meaning. Written in the vein of such groundbreaking books as An Unquiet Mind, When Breath Becomes Air, and On Being Mortal, Why I Believe is a masterwork in spiritual exploration from one of the great scientific minds and faith voices of our time.
Building the Belt and Road Initiative in the Arab World: China's Middle East Math (Changing Dynamics in Asia-Middle East Relations)
by Jonathan FultonThis book analyses the expansion of Chinese power and influence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) through Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects undertaken in the “1+ 2+ 3 cooperation pattern.” Under this framework, 1 represents energy, 2 represents infrastructure and trade and investment, and 3 represents nuclear energy, space satellites, and renewable energy. Taken together these elements indicate the trajectory of China’s MENA presence, and by examining each element in different states across the region, this book provides empirical evidence of which states or subregions are most important for Beijing’s regional ambitions, as well as a better understanding of which sectors are being developed. The book will draw substantial interest from a wide range of readers including academics in the field of Chinese foreign policy, international relations, international political economy, foreign policy analysis, and area studies. Professionals in the corporate world will also be engaged and governmental practitioners and non-government agencies will also find it an important resource.
Mediterranean Media Systems in the Age of Unrest: Journalism Under Attack? (Routledge Focus on Journalism Studies)
by Theodora A. ManiouFocusing on an oft-neglected geographical region of study, this book critically analyses the state of journalism in the European South and considers challenges that may indicate a profession under duress.Focusing on three Mediterranean media systems, Greece, Cyprus, and Malta, this book summarizes the basic characteristics, threats, and challenges for journalism in the region. The book first examines the “North-South” divide in Europe and the challenges Mediterranean media systems have faced in recent years. It then analyzes points of dispute for journalism, such as press freedom, investigative reporting, corruption, post-crisis economic challenges, and the evolving dilemmas of journalism ethics. The second section of the book looks more closely at the three case studies, using data extracted over a turbulent 20-year timeframe up until 2023. Based on a mixed-methods approach, the study comprises findings of interviews with journalists in the three countries under study and time series analysis of feedback regarding challenges discussed earlier in the book. The book concludes on whether journalism today is indeed under attack and reflects critically on what are the main threats that have emerged in media systems of the Mediterranean region.This book will be of particular interest to scholars and researchers of journalism and media systems in Europe, although also bears implications for anyone studying wider issues of press freedom and journalism practice.
Digital Twins and Simulation Technology: Concepts and Applications
by Lavanya Sharma and Pradeep K. GargThis book provides a comprehensive overview of the concept of digital twins, emphasising its strategic importance across various commercial domains. This book covers the fundamentals, data requirements, tools, and technologies essential for understanding and implementing digital twins. It discusses how digital twins are used for running simulations, analysing performance issues, and generating potential improvements to optimise business processes. The book explores the architecture, historical background, and real-time applications in sectors including urban planning, healthcare, smart cities, and manufacturing. Explains digital twin technology, including its core principles, architecture, and how it replicates physical objects in virtual platforms, in detail Covers the data types and tools necessary for creating and maintaining digital twins, including sensors, data processing systems, and integration methodologies Explores technologies such as Computer Vision, IoT, AI, ML, 5G, AR, and VR that drive the functionality and application of digital twins Analyses practical applications in diverse sectors like urban planning, smart cities, healthcare, manufacturing operations, and power-generation equipment, showcasing real-world use cases and benefits Examines real-time challenges and limitations associated with implementing digital twin technology, providing a balanced view of its capabilities and constraints It is a reference book for researchers, scholars, and students who are working or interested in learning about digital twin technology.
Turing's Vision: How AI is Shaping the World
by Pietro Perconti Alessio PlebeChat-GPT, humanoid robotics, and self-driving cars are just a few of the things that are changing our everyday lives. The rapid advancement of AI is eroding one by one all the cornerstones considered unique of human nature: language, consciousness, creativity, and moral responsibility. The book argues that the revolution we are facing is driven by Alan Turing's "vision". This vision rests on the idea that intelligence is not an intrinsic property of human beings, but is a way in which matter is functionally organized and an attribute we are naturally inclined to ascribe to certain entities. For decades we have pretended that this idea does not have the corrosive power that it actually does, perhaps more so than the Copernican and Darwinian revolutions. But now, given the achievements of new forms of computing based on deep learning and predictive coding, the most common intuitions can no longer avoid the dangerous Turing idea.The book is intended for scholars, researchers, and readers intrigued by the intersections across disciplines interested in understanding the philosophical, ethical, and social implications of Artificial Intelligence and its impact on human nature.
SWIM TRAINING PATTERNS: Plan your Training Sessions with the Power of Mathematics
by Christoph BartneckThis pioneering book integrates mathematics into swim training to create an intellectual journey into patterns. Exercise your body and mind with over 35 training programs derived from mathematical ideas. Dive into the history of mathematics and computer science to discover structures that will enrich your exercise routine. You don’t need prior knowledge of mathematics or programming, just a curious mindset and the desire to swim interesting programs. This book will gently introduce you to the tools and knowledge you need to create programmatic training sessions. Learn how to write your training patterns using the Swimming Markup Language (swiML). Then, level up with the Python programming language to express even the most intricate training patterns. Creating swim training programs for every day of the week has never been easier.
Modernization, Democracy and Social Classes: Gino Germani and Latin American Sociology (Classic and Contemporary Latin American Social Theory)
by Martín Unzué Diego Ezequiel PereyraGino Germani’s intellectual itinerary is a key step in the understanding of sociology in Latin America. Offering a fresh perspective, this book seeks to strengthen a better reflection on the history of sociology and social sciences in the region, through a reconstruction of the content and context of his enormous production and its legacies and legitimacies.The volume argues that Germani made a huge contribution to the development of sociology and social thought not only in Argentina and South America but also throughout Latin America, United States and Italy, with an enriching and original interdisciplinary perspective. It identifies his theoretical and conceptual proposals and empirical approach and discusses the implications of his ideas in different regional, national and local experiences and contexts. In particular, they promote the prospect of comparative studies focused on different areas of the Global South.A vital collection of work on a key thinker in Latin American Sociology for scholars and students of Sociology in the Americas and the Global South.
A Practical Guide to Static and Dynamic Econometric Modelling: Examples and Analysis with Python Code Embedded (Contributions to Economics)
by Sarit MaitraThis book provides a comprehensive guide to econometric modeling, combining theory with practical implementation using Python. It covers key econometric concepts, from data collection and model specification to estimation, inference, and prediction. Readers will explore linear regression, data transformations, and hypothesis testing, along with advanced topics like the Capital Asset Pricing Model and dynamic modeling techniques. With Python code examples, this book bridges theory and practice, making it an essential resource for students, finance professionals, economists, and data scientists seeking to apply econometrics in real-world scenarios.
A One-Semester Course on Probability (Springer Undergraduate Mathematics Series)
by Jolanta MisiewiczThis concise textbook covers the full scope of an introductory course in modern probability theory, from elementary combinatorial methods to the central limit theorem, while maintaining mathematical rigor. It includes key topics like the measure extension and the Radon-Nikodym theorems. Designed for a one-semester course, it is well-suited for theoretical mathematics, financial mathematics, insurance, or stochastic modeling students. With 375 exercises, it offers ample opportunities for study and review.
Computational Artificial Intelligence and Methods for industries: A Machine-Generated Literature Overview
by Vijayarangan NatarajanThis book presents the result of an innovative challenge, to create a systematic literature overview driven by machine-generated content. Questions and related keywords were prepared for the machine to query, discover, collate and structure by Artificial Intelligence (AI) clustering. The AI-based approach seemed especially suitable to provide an innovative perspective as the topics are indeed both complex, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary, for example, climate, planetary and evolution sciences. Springer Nature has published much on these topics in its journals over the years, so the challenge was for the machine to identify the most relevant content and present it in a structured way that the reader would find useful. The automatically generated literature summaries in this book are intended as a springboard to further discoverability. They are particularly useful to readers with limited time, looking to learn more about the subject quickly and especially if they are new to the topics. Springer Nature seeks to support anyone who needs a fast and effective start in their content discovery journey, from the undergraduate student exploring interdisciplinary content to Master- or PhD-thesis developing research questions, to the practitioner seeking support materials, this book can serve as an inspiration, to name a few examples. It is important to us as a publisher to make the advances in technology easily accessible to our authors and find new ways of AI-based author services that allow human-machine interaction to generate readable, usable, collated, research content.
CT of Non-Traumatic Body Emergencies
by Luigia Romano Marco Di Serafino Francesca Iacobellis Gianluca PonticielloThe book aims to evaluate the diagnostic value of CT in patients with non traumatic body emergencies regarding neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis and extremities. The multidisciplinary adopted CT protocols are clearly discussed because they play an essential role in diagnostic imaging for detecting different features essential for the differential diagnosis of diverse patologies. The CT findings are correlated with clinical parameters that might correctly orientate the patients management. An ideal imaging method should ensure availability, high diagnostic accuracy, low invasiveness, low execution time, and low costs. Computed Tomography (CT) represents the “standard” imaging technique in the patient with non traumatic body emegencies due to the high diagnostic performance when a correct imaging protocol is adopted, despite radiation dose exposure and intravenous contrast agent administration. Technological advances in the field, lead to the development of post-processing techniques and dual-energy technology (DECT). DECT offers slight advantages over traditional CT by scanning the same anatomical structures with different energy and allowing them to improve the contrast resolution, adopting lower radiation and contrast medium doses.
Impact Investing and Financial Inclusion: Examining the Innovations that Empower the Underserved (Sustainable Development Goals Series)
by Nse UdohayaThis book incorporates real-world case studies and relevant data for a detailed reflection on impact investing and financial inclusion. It models relevant theoretical frameworks to analyse finance for good, making a strong argument for access to finance as a pivotal force in building sustainable societies and fostering inclusive economic growth, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). Focusing on the synergy between impact investing and financial inclusion, it examines the importance of investment in innovations that promote affordable banking, microfinance, and insurance services for the underserved and analyse how such investment can drive sustained socioeconomic development. It investigates the challenges and opportunities in scaling impact investing in financial services infrastructures, considering structural and operational barriers such as the need for standardised impact measurement frameworks, risk mitigation in emerging markets, and the balance between financial returns and social impact. The book also explores technological enablers, including digital finance, blockchain, and AI-driven financial inclusion solutions, while addressing key issues such as digital literacy gaps, data privacy concerns, and regulatory inconsistencies. The relevance of the book is in its potential to drive positive change in financial systems, foster sustainable development, and empower marginalised populations through the knowledge of impact investment. The book will serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, investors, researchers, students and practitioners working towards a more inclusive and sustainable financial landscape.
Framing Solidarities in Times of Multiple Crises: Social Movements across European Cities (Palgrave Studies in European Political Sociology)
by Donatella Della Porta Mojca Pajnik Helge Schwiertz Franz Bernhardt Marko RibaćThis open access book explores how polycrises not only generate new forms of inequality and social exclusion but also inspire new political activism, solidarity, and citizenship. It examines how social movement organizations frame their responses to exclusionary policies and regimes, and sheds light on their strategies for mobilization. By focusing on contemporary movements and their framing of social issues in times of crisis, the book offers valuable insights into social movement studies, urban studies, political communication, and frame analysis. It also engages with broader theoretical and public discussions on solidarity and citizenship. This book is ideal for scholars and students interested in social movements, political struggles, and fields such as migration, housing, and care.
Finite Difference Methods for Compressible Two-Fluid Dynamics (Forum for Interdisciplinary Mathematics)
by Khosro ShahbaziFinite Difference Methods for Compressible Two-Fluid Dynamics provides the essentials of high-order numerical methods for compressible single-fluid and two-fluid transport phenomena. This book can serve as a first course on the numerical methods for transport phenomena or fluid dynamics for students in mechanical, aerospace, and chemical engineering, applied mathematics, and physics at the senior level of an undergraduate or graduate degree. It also provides foundations and algorithmic details for implementing the most recent numerical schemes for compressible flows and extending them to include other physics, such as elasticity, reaction, and magnetohydrodynamics. The book's presented schemes enable computations for broad applications, including shock-induced interfacial instability and turbulence, shock-bubble interactions, and detonation, to name a few. For a broad reach and impact, the numerical schemes satisfy the simultaneous requirements of simplicity, extendibility, and efficiency on serial and parallel computers. The physics of the compressible single- and two-fluid system also guide the design and analysis of the numerical methods. The enabled direct numerical simulations also help obtain accurate data for tuning the emerging physics-based neuromorphic algorithms.
Artificial Intelligence and Games
by Julian Togelius Georgios N. YannakakisThis book covers artificial intelligence methods applied to games, both in research and game development. It is aimed at graduate students, researchers, game developers, and readers with a technical background interested in the intersection of AI and games. The book covers a range of AI methods, from traditional search, planning, and optimization, to modern machine learning methods, including diffusion models and large language models. It discusses applications to playing games, generating content, and modeling players, including use cases such as level generation, game testing, intelligent non-player characters, player retention, player experience analysis, and game adaptation. It also covers the use of games, including video games, to test and benchmark AI algorithms. The book is informed by decades of research and practice in the field and combines insights into game design with deep technical knowledge from the authors, who have pioneered many of the methods and approaches used in the field. This second edition of the 2018 textbook captures significant developments in AI and gaming over the past 7 years, incorporating advancements in computer vision, reinforcement learning, deep learning, and the emergence of transformer-based large language models and generative AI. The book has been reorganized to provide an updated overview of AI in games, with separate sections dedicated to AI’s core uses in playing and generating games, and modeling their players, along with a new chapter on ethical considerations. Aimed at readers with foundational AI knowledge, the book primarily targets three audiences: graduate or advanced undergraduate students pursuing careers in game AI, AI researchers and educators seeking teaching resources, and game programmers interested in creative AI applications. The text is complemented by a website featuring exercises, lecture slides, and additional educational materials suitable for undergraduate and graduate courses.
The Soils of Montenegro (World Soils Book Series)
by Mirko Knežević Ana Topalović Budimir Fuštić Ljubomir ŽivotićDesigned to give the reader as much information and data on soil in Montenegro as possible, this book compiles all available data on soils of Montenegro and describes the genesis, morphology, physical and chemical properties of soils. It also deals with the current situation and future use of soil cover, in order to provide more information about the composition, characteristics and problems of Montenegrin soils. The classification, occurrence and distribution of some types, subtypes and varieties of soil (together with the main physical, chemical and biological characteristics and properties) are explained with the emphasis on factors of soil formation in Montenegro. The treated themes are introduced in easily accessible way, making it usable both by professionals and by anyone interested in soil use.
Dynamiken digitaler Bewertung: Über Gestaltungsspielräume in Infrastrukturen – von KI bis Queering (Soziologie des Wertens und Bewertens)
by Stefan Laser Carsten Ochs Karoline Krenn Jonathan KropfWer sich im digitalen Raum bewegt, wird permanent mit Bewertungen konfrontiert, aufgefordert, Bewertungen abzugeben oder wird selbst zum Gegenstand der Bewertung. Der vorliegende Band nimmt diese Beobachtung zum Anlass, Bewertungspraktiken und Bewertungsordnungen, die durch Digitalisierung in Bewegung geraten, zu untersuchen. Social-Media-Likes, Empfehlungsalgorithmen, generative KI in der Kunst, digitale Assistenzsysteme in der Medizin, bei der Polizeiarbeit, im Journalismus und in der Smart City – diskutiert werden aktuelle Formationen und Materialitäten digitaler Bewertung. Wie erklären sich Unterschiede und Dynamiken zwischen und innerhalb von Bewertungsordnungen? Welche Gestaltungsspielräume werden in den Infrastrukturen der Bewertung eröffnet und/oder geschlossen? Der mit dem Sammelband angestrebte Vergleich digitaler Bewertungspraktiken soll einerseits dazu beitragen, mit diesen Fragen im Hinterkopf Gemeinsamkeiten und Spezifika digitaler Bewertung herauszuarbeiten. Andererseits sollen die Kontextbedingungen reflektiert werden, die digitalen Bewertungen ihre jeweilige Gestalt geben und durch digitale Bewertungspraktiken potenziell auch transformiert werden. Die Analyse der Dynamiken digitaler Bewertungen soll zur Entwicklung einer geeigneten Theoriesprache beitragen, die der Pluralität von Logiken und Ontologien des digitalen Bewertens gerecht wird. Zusätzlich Licht auf Treiber und Dynamiken der Bewertung werfen Erfahrungsberichte aus der Praxis professioneller Bewertungsorganisationen.
Energy-Efficient Communication Networks
by Vikram Kumar Suman Lata Tripathi Krishan Arora Shakti Raj ChopraEnergy-Efficient Communication Networks is essential for anyone looking to understand and implement cutting-edge energy optimization strategies for communication systems, ensuring they meet growing energy demands while seamlessly integrating renewable energy sources and enhancing battery life in embedded applications. Renewable energy, including solar, wind, and geothermal energy, for communication networks is a key area of exploration for meeting the demands of their increasing energy requirements. Scheduling and power cycle optimization are instrumental in deciding the effectiveness of these networks. Apart from communication, embedded systems running on batteries designed for data processing applications also face restrictions in terms of battery life—targeting low-energy consumption-based systems is particularly important here. The increased usage of sensor networks for personal and commercial applications has resulted in a surge of development to create energy-aware protocols and algorithms. This book introduces energy optimization concepts for current and future communication networks and explains how to optimize electricity for wireless sensor networks and incorporate renewable energy sources into conventional communication networks. It gives readers a better understanding of the difficulties, limitations, and possible bottlenecks that may occur while developing a communication system under power constraints, as well as insights into the traditional and recently developed communication systems from an energy optimization point of view.
The Political Economy of Uneven and Combined Development: The Case of North East England (Routledge Advances in Regional Economics, Science and Policy)
by Ray HudsonThe focus of this book is the processes through which industries and regions grow and decline in capitalist economies via an investigation of the trajectory of change in the North East of England.How and why did its economy grow from the sixteenth century to be a "Workshop of the World" by the outbreak of the First World War, only to collapse a decade later? How and why did the region then become a laboratory for experiments in state policies to reverse economic decline, policies that have largely failed? How did the region become transformed from one with indigenous innovative firms, to one of foreign branch plants focused on routine component production and assembly, to a deindustrialised region which became the destination for call centres and Amazon distribution centres? What were the economic, labour market, and social consequences of these changes? The account of regional change is framed in terms of uneven and combined development, temporally, spatially, and between and within the broad classes of Capital and Labour. The core message of this book is that the growth and decline of the region, and of the changing map of regional development, are most appropriately understood within a conceptual framework of uneven and combined development grounded in Marxian political economy.This book will be of interest to academic researchers and students of political economy, regional development, geography, sociology, planning and policy studies, as well as policymakers in central, regional, and local government.
Water and Land in the Sahel: Mapping the Flow (Routledge Studies in African Geography)
by Angela Kronenburg García Andrea Pase Mariasole Pepa Federico Gianoli Marina Bertoncin Carla BragaDrawing on over thirty years of research, this book investigates the intermingling of land and water in the Sahel, analysing landscapes defined by the ebb and flow of rainfall, flooding and population movements, as well as environmental, political and social crises.Exploring both the seasonal flooding of rivers around the Nile, Chari-Logone, Niger and Senegal, as well as agricultural irrigation projects such as dams, canals and pumping stations, the book examines the different narratives related to water and land in the Sahel. It combines fieldwork research with remote sensing, big data and GIS mapping to outline the ever-changing interplay between land and water in the region. Beyond this, the book also reinterprets the colonial and post-colonial legacies of large-scale irrigation projects and the geopolitical interests which defined them.Supported by an Open Access website with a WebGIS and further maps and analysis, this book is an essential read for policy makers and development practitioners in the region, as well as for researchers and scholars across the fields of geography, history, political science, sustainable development and African studies.The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives (CC-BY-ND) 4.0 license.